History : Central Asia

This report assesses the economic dimensions of security in post-Soviet Central Asia and considers their implications for the role of the United States. The September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States led to the realization among policymakers that instability, failed and failing states, and economic and political underdevelopment present security concerns not just to the states that suffer directly from these problems but to the global community as a whole. In this regard, Central Asia may be at a crossroads, as demonstrated by the so-called “Tulip Revolution” in Kyrgyzstan and the unrest in Uzbekistan in 2005. However, it is unclear whether the states in the region have the institutional capacity to implement sound and lasting domestic reform and what the appropriate role is for the United States and the international community. Although some have argued that the U.S. military presence in the region could be used as a vehicle for encouraging political and economic reform, the record to date provides little grounds for optimism. In fact, Central Asia will increasingly diversify its economic and military relationships with neighbors such as Russia, China, and Iran, potentially crowding out direct U.S. influence in the region. U.S. policymakers should consider a lower-profile military presence, a sharper focus of diplomatic and economic resources on specific issues that may affect counter-terror and counter-narcotics efforts in the region, and a nuanced approach that engages alternative power centers, realizing that the principles and interests behind U.S. involvement are more enduring than any single regime is likely to be. more...

Price: $9.95

After centuries of expansion the Russian Empire at the beginning of the 20th century included an immensely diverse population. This book examines the role of nation and nationality in the Soviet Union and analyses the establishment of national republics in soviet Central Asia. more...

Price: $95.70

Providing a wealth of empirical research on the everyday practise of Islam in post-Soviet Central Asia, this book gives a detailed account of how Islam is understood and practised among ordinary Muslims in the region, focusing in particular on Uzbekistan. more...

Price: $150.00

In a unique survey, based on new census data, this book highlights the region's geographic, economic and ecological problems since 1945. more...

Price: $200.00

The Soviet war in Afghanistan was a grueling debacle that has striking lessons for the twenty-first century. In The Great Gamble , Gregory Feifer examines the conflict from the perspective of the soldiers on the ground. During the last years of the Cold War, the Soviet Union sent some of its most elite troops to unfamiliar lands in Central Asia to fight a vaguely defined enemy, which eventually defeated their superior numbers with unconventional tactics. Although the Soviet leadership initially saw the invasion as a victory, many Russian soldiers came to view the war as a demoralizing and devastating defeat, the consequences of which had a substantial impact on the Soviet Union and its collapse. Feifer's extensive research includes eye-opening interviews with participants from both sides of the conflict. In gripping detail, he vividly depicts the invasion of a volatile country that no power has ever successfully conquered. Parallels between the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and the U.S. invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq are impossible to ignore—both conflicts were waged amid vague ideological rhetoric about freedom. Both were roundly condemned by the outside world for trying to impose their favored forms of government on countries with very different ways of life. And both seem destined to end on uncertain terms. A groundbreaking account seen through the eyes of the men who fought it, The Great Gamble tells an unforgettable story full of drama, action, and political intrigue whose relevance in our own time is greater than ever. more...

Price: $21.99